The containment capacity of an oil-containment barrier is usually exhausted quickly. For this reason, the way in which the oil will be removed from the water’s surface should be kept in mind from the beginning of every oil-containment operation.
Oil-skimming devices, so-called oil skimmers, are used for this purpose. There are primarily two groups of these tools available: weir skimmers and adhesion skimmers.
The weir skimmer functions according to the “hole in the water” principle. The oil flows over a weir edge positioned immediately below the surface of the water and into a container. It is then pumped out of this container. The adhesion skimmer has a surface that moves through the oil. The oil sticks to this surface and is later wiped off into a collecting tank.